Although goalkeeper William Hesmer saved an 89th-minute penalty kick, Kheli Dube swept in to knock the rebound home, giving the New England Revolution a 1-0 victory against the Columbus Crew at Crew Stadium on Saturday night.
Ezra Hendrickson was ruled to have tripped Steve Ralston inside the area and referee Richard Heron awarded the penalty. Hesmer saved yet another penalty -- his third of the year -- diving to his left, but this time the Revolution's Dube was first to the rebound, knocking it home for the game-winner.
The victory pulled the Revolution into a tie atop the Eastern Conference with the victory, with both teams tied with 19 points. The Crew saw their six-game unbeaten streak come to an end, while the Revolution won for the third game in a row.
From the start, the Crew were on the attack. Twice in the first five minutes they won free kicks around 25 yards from goal. Guillermo Barros Schelotto's first effort was headed away from danger by New England defender Michael Parkhurst and the second restart was squandered when Schelotto put the cross beyond the reach of Hendrickson.
New England squander their best early chance in the 17th minute. Crew defender Chad Marshall fouled Dube just outside of the penalty area. Mauricio Castro took the free kick for the Revolution, but his shot was turned away by the wall of Crew defenders.
The Crew came close to opening the scoring in the 26th minute when Brian Carroll found a wide open Frankie Hejduk sneaking down the left wing. After Hejduk controlled the bouncing pass, which he did just before reaching the end line, he found Alejandro Moreno streaking to the net. But despite having a step on Parkhurst, Moreno was able only to pound his shot into the side netting.
Eddie Gaven had a good opportunity to get his name on the scoresheet in the 38th minute when he took the ball from Shalrie Joseph and took off up the middle of the field. Racing upfield by himself and with defenders closing in, Gaven pulled the trigger from 20 yards but mis-hit the attempt and the shot trickled harmlessly wide.
Crew captain Frankie Hejduk found his way into referee Heron's book for a foul on Jay Heaps. The two players were charging towards each other after a loose ball and when Hejduk slid into Heaps, showing some studs and earning a yellow card.
The Crew nearly took the lead in the 52nd minute. Gaven and Schelotto played a give-and-go at the top of the Revolution penalty box that left Gaven with the ball running at Revs 'keeper Matt Reis. Gaven laid the ball across to Moreno, but defender Chris Albright blocked the Crew striker's shot from finding the net.
Robbie Rogers looked to make an impact soon after. On his customary left wing Rogers displayed some nifty footwork to shake Albright and send a cross through the box. Hejduk dashed onto the scene but he put the bouncing ball over the crossbar.
The Crew continued to press for the opener. This time Hejduk sent in a cross from the right and Gaven struck a header that Reis was barely able to get a hand to. The ball bounced right in front of the Revolution goal and Moreno was lurking in the area but Albright beat everyone to the spot and cleared the danger for New England.
In the 77th minute the same scenario played out in front of Reis again, this time with Hendrickson putting the shot on Reis. Moreno again looked to put the rebound home but the only thing his shot hit was the outside of the post.
As the game drew closer the full time the energy level picked up, both on the field and in the stands. The Revs won several corner kicks in the last few minutes of the game, but were unable to convert the opportunities into shots.
Then the Revolution got the one chance they needed. Ralston and Joseph played a couple of give-and-goes at the top of the box Hendrickson stepped on Ralston's foot and he went to the ground. Referee Heron was only yards away and wasted no time pointing to the penalty spot.
Joseph walked to the spot and knocked his attempt towards goal only to have a diving Hesmer get a hand to the ball. But Dube sprinted to goal and easily slotted the rebound off Hesmer's heels and into the net for the game-winner.
The Crew nearly scored the tying goal in stoppage time when Rogers put in a cross from the left, but Brad Evans nodded his clear header over the goal, and with it went the Crew's six-game unbeaten streak.
Nathan Linton is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
